Improvement in electric railway-signals



' 5 Sheets--Sheet 3.

H. W. SPANG.

EIectricRailway-Signal. v No, 168,059, PatentedSept.2I,l875.

WITN ES 55E- v 5Sheetsr-Sheet4. H. W. SPANG.

Electric Railway-Signal. No. 168,059, PatentedSept.21,I87 5.

WITNSEEE- N.PTERS, FNOIO-LITHDGRAPHBR. WASHINGTON- D UNITED STA TENT@FFICE.

IMPRQVEWIENT IN ELECTRIC RAlLWAV-Sl GNALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16$,059, datedSeptember 21, 1875; application filed March 17, 12575.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY W. SPANG, ofReading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railway-Signal Apparatusand Circuits and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of electrical railway-signalingapparatus, audible or visual, or both combined, which is operated inconnection with the rails of an insulated sect-ion or sections ofrailway-track, and in which the electric circuit or circuits whichcontrol the signaling apparatus can only be properly brought intoaction, and-a safetysignal given, when the opposite rails of the saidinsulated section or sections of track are not occupied or metallicallyconnected, as by the wheels and axles of a locomotive or car.

It consists, first, in certain novel combinations and arrangements ofthe rails of an insulated section or sections of railway, one or moregalvanic batteries or other sources of electricity, conductors, devicesfor changing, closing, and breaking circuit, and one or more signalingapparatus, audible or visual, or both combined, in which thesafety-signal is indicated by a series of movements of signal, or seriesof bell-taps, or other series of signs or sounds, or by a singlemovement of signal, produced by, or dependent upon, a series of reversecurrents of electricity, the whole being so arranged that saidsafety-signal can only be given when the opposite rails of saidinsulated section or sections of track are not metallically connected,as by the wheels and axles of a locomotive or car, or are not occupiedby means of a series of reverse or opposite currents passing over theentire length of said rails, and the conductors forming the circuit orcircuits which control the signaling apparatus, and cannot be given by asingle current passing over them, thereby preventing the liability ofthe safety-signal being given by atmospheric electricity, such asproduces lightning, aurora borealis, or earth-currents, or by any otheraccidental current, and particularly when the rails of said section orsections are occupied by a locomotive or car; second, in certain novelcombinations and arrangements of conductors and a galvanic batter bywhich a series of opposite or reverse currents will be transmitted;third, in an improved semaphoric signal apparatus, in which a visualsignal rotating or moving upon its center, or a shaft, in one direction,is in combination with a toothed wheel, an impelling-escapement, and alever which vibrates between the poles of an elcctro'magnet, when saidmagnet is alternately charged by a series of electric currents whichalternately pass in opposite directions over the coils thereof; fourth,in a combination and arrangement of devices by means of which myinvention may be used for the protection of two or more adjacentinsulated sections of track at the sametime, the combined length of saidsections exceeding the length ot'railway-ails over which the current ofa single galvanic battery can be with certainty employed for signalingpurposes.

In the accompanying drawings or diagrams, Figure .1 represents myinvention as applied to an insulated section of a doubletrack railway,and Figs. 2, 3, 4,5, and 10 are modificaway-track a mile long, more orless. a a are the opposite ends thereof. The lines of rails BB shouldeach have metallic continuity throughout the length of the section bymeans, of good metallic connections at each joint. The letter 8indicates that rails in the same line are insulated or separated fromeach other 7 i B B are galvanic batteries.

at that point.

C is an electric-circuit commutator or changer for transmitting a seriesof opposite or reverse electric currents. It consists of the continuousmetallic strips 0 O (J fastened parallel to each other around theperiphery d of a wooden wheel, D, or a wheel with wooden ornon-conducting rim. From the outside strips 0 0 project short strips orarms 0 0 toward but not reaching to the central strip from each side ofwhich similar short strips or arms 0 project between the series of shortarms 0 on one side, and series of short arms 0 upon the oppositeside,'being separated from said short arms and from strips 0 G byintervening portions of the surface of the wheel, with which the stripsand arms should all be sunk flush. E E E are metallic springs, or theirequivalents, which should always press against and make good contactwith the continuous metallic strips 0 C 0 Springs E and E are theterminals of Wires 2 and 3, both of which are connected with thenegative pole of battery B. E is the terminal of wire 1, which isconnected with the positive pole of battery B. F F are metallic springs,which press upon the periphery of wheel D between the continuous strips0 0 G and when the wheel D is revolved spring F contacts alternatelywith short arms or strips 0 and c and spring F contacts alternately withshort arms or strips 0 and 0 F is connected with a conducting-wire, 4,leading to line of rails R, and F is connected with aconducting-wire, 7leading to line of rails R The said conductingwires are insulated andembeddedin the earth, or otherwise placed out of the way of passingtrains or danger from accidental breakage. G G are metallic platesembedded in the earth, so as to make good earth-connection. H is asignaling apparatus, consisting of a polarized lever, J vibrating on itsfulcrum 0 between the poles i" i of an electro-magnet, I, when thepolarity of said poles is alternately changed by a series of oppositeelectric currents passing a1- ternately through the coils of saidelectromagnet, and operating the impelling-escapementj, the pallets jand j of which take into the teeth of wheel Z, moving it the space ofone tooth at each half-vibration of lever J, and thus producing acorresponding movement in signal Y, the center of which is attached toshaft 0 of the toothed wheel Z. To the upper end of lever J a hammer, Jis attached, and. alternately strikes two bells, h and h, or can strikeone bell at regular intervals when lever J vibrates. The semaphoricsignal Y may consist of a wire frame covered with bunting, and in orderthat it may be readily observable the face of said signal may be dividedinto two or more divisions of contrasting colors.

It will be seen that in order to produce a complete revolution of thesignal Y a series of alternate opposite or reverse currents ofelectricity must pass over the coils of electro-magnet I, as only bysuch a series of currents can lever J be vibrated, and it must perform anumber of complete vibrations equal to half the number of teeth in wheelZ, or a half-vibration for each tooth, in order to cause such completerevolution. A series of bell-taps, of course, depends upon the samealternation of currents.

K is a circuit closer and breaker, consisting of a metallic lever, 70,and a metallic conductor, W, with which lever 70 can make or breakcontact, as desired. The object of this circuit closer and breaker is tokeep the secondary or local signaling-circuit open when not required tobe brought into action to operate the signaling apparatus, and therebyprevent the waste and weakening of the battery. L is a conducting-wireextending along the section of track A, connecting coil I ofelectro-magnet I with metallic conductor 19, which is one of thelimiting-points to the play of armaturelever Z at the opposite end ofthe section. M is a polarized relay-magnet of Siemens or any other make,and is so arranged that when the polarity of the poles thereof ischanged by a series of alternately opposite or reverse currents passingover the coils thereof it will simultaneously change the direction ofthe current over a secondary or local signaling circuit and apparatus,and thereby cause a series of audible or visual signals, or bothcombined, to be given by the apparatus, as heretofore explained. Thepolarized armature-lever lvibrates on its fulcrum 0 between the twometallic points p when the polarity of the softiron poles a a isalternately changed by a series of alternately-opposite currents passingover coils m m and wire 9, which connect said coils, and changing thepolarity of the soft-iron cores thereof to which the poles an areattached. To the polarized lever l of magnet M an additional lever, l ofsoft iron or any other metal is attached, but insulated therefrom, sothat there will not be metallic connection between the two levers. Thelever 1 will vibrate, of course, simultaneously with lever 1, its playbeing limited by that of lever Z, and its end alternately contactingwith the two metallic points 19 19 The conducting-wires indicated bynumerals will be hereafter referred to in explaining the passage ofelectric currents over circuits formed by or composed partially of saidwires.

When a locomotive or train approaches the end a of insulated section oftrack A, in direction of arrow Q, a signahnan at a signalstation cansoon ascertain whether said section of track .is clear or occupied, andalso, during cold or dry weather, whether the rails are in a properposition and not broken, and

notify the engineer of the approaching train accordingly. The lever K ismoved to contact with conductor K by the Signalman, and he then rotateswheel D of the commutator O, and should rails R R of section of track Abe clear and not occupied by the wheels connected by metallic axles of apreceding 10- comotive or train, and, also, should the rails of thesection be in proper position and not broken, a series ofalternateopposite currents of battery B will pass over rails R It of section oftrack A and coils m m of polarized relaymagnet M, and cause levers Z Zto vibrate and send a series of currents alternately in oppositedirections from battery 13 over wire L, signal apparatus H, circuitcloser K, and ground-plates G G, and thereby cause a series of taps uponbells h h, and a series of movements of signal Y, to be given at shortand regular intervals, said bell-taps and signal movements, or either ofthem separately,- indicating safety, and they may be so arranged as tobe heard and seen, or either, by the signalman at the station, and theengineer upon the approaching train.

While the wheel D of commutator O is being rotated, and springs F Fcontact with short arms or conductors 0 0 the route of current ofbattery B will be as follows: From positive pole of said battery overwire 1, spring E, continuous strip or conductor 0 short arm or conductor0 spring F, wire 4, line of rails R, wire 5, coil m, wire q, coil m,wire 6, line of rails R wire 7, spring F short conductor 0 continuousstrip or conductor O spring E and wire 3, to negative pole of battery,thereby changing polarity of iron cores and poles at n of relay M, andcausing lever lto contact with metallic point p, and

lever P with metallic point 19 and thereby directing current of batteryB over wire 10, lever Z, point 1), wire L, coils I 1 and wire q ofsignaling electro-magnet, wire 13, conductor 7c and lever 70 of circuitcloser and breaker K, wire 14, and ground-plate Gr, while thecomplementary current flows from groundplate G over wire 8, point 10lever 6 and wire 9, to the negative pole of battery, its influencechanging the polarity of the iron cores and poles of coils l 1 andcausing'polarized lever J to strike bell h with hammer J and escapementj to move toothed wheel Z one tooth and communicate a short movement tosignal Y.

After short conductors 0 0 leave springs F F, and short conductors c and0 contact with said springs, the route of current of battery Bis asfollows: From positive pole of said battery over wire 1, spring E,continuous conductor 0 of the commutator, short conductor 0 spring Fwire 7, rails It, wire 6, coil m of relay M, wire q, coil m of relay M,wire 5, line of rails R, wire 4;, spring F, short conductors c andcontinuous conductor (J of the commutator, and wire 2, to negative poleof battery, changing by its infl uence the polarity of iron cores andpoles an of relay-magnet M, and causing lever Z to contact with metallicpoint 10 and lever l with metallic point 19 thus directing current ofbattery 13 over wire 10, lever I, point 19 wire 12, point p wire 8, andground-plate G to earth, the complementary current fiowin g overground-plate Gr, wire 14:, lever k, conductor k wire 13, coil 1, wireq,coil 1 wire L, point 19, wire 13, point 19 lever 1 wire 9, to negativepole of battery, changing the polarity of iron cores and poles i iofcoils I 1 and causing leverJ to strike bell h with ham- 1nerJ andcscapementj to again move toothe'd wheel Z one tooth, and communicateanother ber of movements will be made by signal Y,

when the rails of insulated section of track A are not occupied by alocomotive or car, and said rails are in their proper position and notbroken.

Should the rails It It of sectionof track A be occupied, andmetallically connected by wheels to w, united by their axle w, of apreceding locomotive or train, or in any other manner, or a rail beremoved or broken during cold or dry weather, it will be impossible tocharge coils m m of relay M to change the polarity of poles at n byalternate opposite currents from the batteryvB, owing to said wheels andaxle, or other metallic connection of opposite rails, shunting, orshort-circuiting, the said currents passing over lines of rails R R andpreventing them from passing over the coils of relay-magnet M 5 or,owing to the broken or removed rail, interrupting the circuit of saidcurrents, and consequently a series of alternately-opposite currentsfrom battery B will not be caused to pass over the 10- cal or secondaryor signaling circuit, as hereinbefore described, and a series of bell-'taps and movements of signal Y, indicating safety, will not be given.

After the wheel D of commutator O has been rotated, the said wheel Dshould be ad justed or set so that springs F F do not touch conductors cor c 0 and the lever k of circuit closer and breaker K should be removedfrom contact with conductor 70, so as to open circuits and prevent wasteand weakening of batteries B and B Figs. 2, 3, and 4 show modificationsof the hereinbefore-described invention. In Fig. 2 two polarizedrelay-magnets, M M each having a single lever, Z and Z and one battery,B are employed to transmit a series of alternate opposite currents overthe local or secondary circuit to operate signal apparatus H. In Fig. 3one polarized relay-magnet, M having a single lever, 1 and twobatteries, B and B are employed for the same purpose. In Fig. 4 springsF F of commutator U are connected to rails It R at end a instead of atend 60, of section oftrack A, by long wires L L and polarizedrelay-magnet M having single lever Z is connected to said rails by shortwires 4 and 5 at end a instead of at end M. The signal-lever J in thismodification is of soft iron, and not polarized.

When the lever k, Fig. 4, of circuit closer and breaker K, contacts withconductor is, and lever Z of magnet M touches metallic point p, thecurrent of battery B passes from its positive pole over wire 6, lever Zpoint 19, wire 7, coil of electro-magnet 1 wire 8, conductor 70 andlever 7c of circuit-closer K. and wire 9, to the negative pole ofbattery, thereby charging soft-iron core of i of magnet 1 which thenattracts lever J causing it to operate an audible or visual signal, orboth, as hereinbefore described; and when lever l touches metallic point19 owing to the change of primary circuit by commutator O, the currentof battery B passes from the positive pole over wire 6, lever 1*, point19 wire 10, coil of magnet I, wires 11 and 8, conductor k lever k, andwire 9, to negative pole of battery, thereby charging core 2' of magnetI, which attracts lever J to again operate an audible or visual signal,or both, as before described. The soft-iron signal-lever J in thismodification may be replaced by a polarized lever, and the currents oftwo different batteries directed respectively over the coils of magnetsI and 1 for operating said lever. The details of such replacement willreadily suggest themselves to one familiar with electrical apparatus.

Fig. 5 is another modification, showing my invention applied to aninsulated section of a double-track railway, in which the movement ofwheel D of commutator 0 is under the c011- trol of an approachinglocomotive or train, and is so arranged that when section of track Aisclear, and the rails are in proper position, a series of bell-taps orother signals, or both an audible and a visual signal, will beautomatically given, and be heard or seen, or both, by the engineer ofthe approaching train. By this arrangement the engineer is relieved ofdependence upon a Signalman for the operation of the commutator G, forproducing proper action in the signal apparatus.

The wheel D of commutator U is rotated by means of a weight, N, and cordN said cord being wound around the shaft 01 Lever l l vibrates on. itsfulcrum 0 and has a detent, d attached at one end, and an armature, 3 atthe opposite end. When armature 3 is not attracted by cores ofelectro-magnet M the spring 8 causes lever Z Z to be pulled down towardwheel D and detent d to catch a pin, 01, which projects from the side ofwooden wheel D, holding said wheel from turning. When a locomotive ortrain, the wheels being connected by metallic aXles, moves in thedirection in dicated by arrow Q, and occupies rails B R of short sectionof track A, the side R of which is insulated at s from adjacent rails,and the side R is metallioally connected at s with adjacent rails, thecircuit of battery Bi) will be closed, and the electric current willflow from positive pole of said battery over wire 15, coils ofelectro-magnet M wire 16, rails R wheels and axles of the locomotive ortrain, (here represented by wheels to w and axle 00 rails R and wire 17,to the negative pole of battery, thereby charging the cores of magnet Mand attracting armature 1 thus causing lever Z Z to lift detent d andliberate pin (1 when the wheel D will be rotated by weight N and cord N,and a series of alternating opposite currents of electricity frombattery B will be sent over the relay M in the primary or main circuit,and cause opposite currents from battery B over the secondary or localcircuits, and a series of audible or visual signals, or both, will begiven, as hereinbefore described.

The lever Z L, when attracted by magnet M contacts with metallic pointP, and thereby closes the secondary circuit between wires 13 and 14 overpoint P and lever Z I. As long as the rails of short section of track Aare occupied by a locomotive or car the magnet M is charged and wheel Dcan rotate 5 but as soon as the first pair of wheels and axle of saidlocomotive or car moves off said section, and upon short section A thecurrent of battery Bl) will flow from its positive pole over Wire 18,rail R wheels and axles of the car or locomotive, rails R R and wire 17to the negative pole of battery, thereby demagnetizing magnet M andallowing spring 3 to pull down lever l l on the side toward wheel D anddetent d to catch pin 01 and hold wheel D from further rotation. Inorderto prevent a rapid rotation of wheel D being caused by weight N, whenthe detent is withdrawn from the pin upon the wheel it will be necessaryto employ a train of clock-work in connection with shaft 01 of saidwheel, said clock-train being so regulated as to allow wheel D to make aportion of or a whole rotation in a certain time, and thereby cause asuitable number of alternating currents to be sent and a suitable seriesof signals to be given when section of track A is clear and its railsare in proper position and not broken.

Fig. 6 shows the arrangement by means of which my invention may beapplied, so that one signaling apparatus will serve for two adjacentsections of a double-track railway, upon which the trains move always inone direction, that indicated by arrow Q. This arrangement may alsoserve for more than two sections. When wheel D of commutator (J isrotated, alternate opposite currents are sent from battery 5 over linesof rails R R of section of track A and relay M, and thereby alternatelychange the polarity of pole n n of relay M, and cause levers H tovibrate between metallic points p p and 1919 as heretofore described.The vibration of levers Z Z between points 19 p and p p of relay Mcauses alternate opposite currents to be sent from battery B over railsR R of section of track A and relay M and alternately changes thepolarity of poles at a of relay M and thereby causes the levers l l tovibrate between metallic points 19 19 and 19 19 changing the current ofbattery B to alternately opposite directions over wire L, signalapparatus H, circuit-closer K, and earth-connections G G, and

a series of signals to be given as heretofore described.

Any number of adjacent insulated sections of a double-track railway can.be placed in combination with each other and with a single signalingapparatus, as just described, and should the rails of either of suchsections be occupied by a locomotive or car, or a rail be removed orbroken in dry or cold weather, it will be impossible to give a series ofsignals indicating safety, as all of the circuits must be complete andnot shunted, in order to give a safety-signal.

Fig. 7 shows the arrangement of parts when my invention is applied to aninsulated section of single-track railway, upon which trains move inboth directions, as indicated by arrows (aw) Q (+4.2) Q". In thisarrangementa circuitcomm'utator, a galvanic battery, two ordinarycircuit-changers, and one relay-magnet are in combination with the railsR R at each end of section of track A, and they constitute, with rails RR", two separate and independent primary circuits, which control twoseparate and independent local or secondary circuits and two signalingapparatus, H and H, one at each end of section of track A. The normalposition of levers k k k k of circuit-changers K K K K is in contactcuit closer and breaker K is in contact with conductor 70 and the loversof circuit-changers K K are moved to contact with conductors is 76 andsection of track A is clear, and its rails intact, a series of electriccurrents will flow from battery B and commutator O alternately inopposite directions over circuits composed of spring F, wire 4,conductor is lever k wire 5, rails R wire 6, lever 70", conductor 70wire 7, coil n of relay M wire q, coil m, wire 8, conductor k lever 70,wire 9, rails R wire 10, lever k conductor 70 wire 11, and spring Fcausing alternate changes of polarity in the poles a n of relay M andproducing a vibratory motion in levers Z 1 between metallic points-10 1919 19 thereby directing the current of battery B alternately in oppositedirections over circuits and signal apparatus H, for the purpose ofproducing a series of audible or visual signals, or both, ashereinbefore described.

' When a locomotive or train approaches section A, in the directionindicated by arrow Q (Q the action of the commutator circuitchangers KK, conductors, magnet MP, and signaling apparatus H and other devices,in combination with ends a a of section of track A is precisely similarto the action just described, and will be readily understood onreference to corresponding parts connected with ends a a Aftersignaling, the circuits of the main and secondary batteries, at each endof the insulated section of track, should be broken by means of thecircuit-closers and breakers heretofore described.

The rails of a railway-track have only been used satisfactorily in thiscountry as conductors of electrical currents for signaling purposes,when the section of track has not exceeded about one mile in length.This is owing to the heavy escape or leakage of electricity, during wetand damp weather, from the rails to the earth, weakening the currentspassing over the rails. Consequently, the arrangements shown in Figs. 1,2, 3, 4, and 5 will only apply to insulated sections of doubletrackrailway not exceeding-about one mile in length, and should the length ofa portion of double-track railway to be protected by one signalapparatus exceed one mile, it will be necessary to divide it into two ormore sections, and operate them as explained with reference to Fig. 6.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 7 will only apply to an insulated sectionof single-track railway not exceeding about one mile in' length, andshould the length of a portion of single-track railway to be protectedby two signal apparatus, one at each end, exceed one mile, it will benecessary to divide said portion of track into two or more sections,which should be operated in combination with each other, and with thetwo signaling apparatus, in a manner similar to that shown in Fig.6, butwith the addition of devices and circuits that are necessary to applythe said arrangement to two or more sections of singletrack railway, andthe construction and manner of applying which will be obvious to any onefamiliar with electrical signals or other electrical apparatus.

Any electric railway-signaling apparatus which is based upon theprinciple of producing a signal by the action of one current, or oneinterruption of current, is liable to be influenced in exactness byatmospheric electricity, such as produces lightning, aurora borealis,earth-currents, &c., and by other accidental currents; also, by contactof conductors thereof with another line, and, therefore, is apt to givea wrong signal and endanger the trains of a railway upon which suchapparatus is used.

In the several modifications of my invention shown and described, theconductors composing the primary or main circuits, and local orsecondary circuits, are liable at any time to receive a current ofatmospheric electricity, or a current from some other source than thatemployed for the production of proper action of the signal apparatus,but the only effect such atmospheric or accidental current ofelectricity could have upon the secondary circuit, or primary andsecondary circuits and the signaling apparatus, when the secondarycircuit is closed, would be to givea single bell-tap or a singlemovement of the semaphoric signal. The object, therefore, of employingand depending upon a series of al ternately opposite or reverse currentsof elec- 5 neaosa tricity to pass over the said primary, or both primaryand secondary circuits, and give a series of bell-taps, or a series ofmovements of a semaphoric signal, or both, at regular intervals, toindicate safety, as hereinbefore described, is to prevent the liabilityof a safetysignal being given by a current or currents of atmosphericelectricity, or a current or currents from any other source than thatregularly employed in connection with the rails and signaling apparatus,as hereinbefore described.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4., the wires of the secondary circuitcan be insulated and placed in a building or signal-box or station, soas not to be liable to be affected by at mospheric or accidentalcurrents of electricity, and, therefore, a series of currentsalternately charging electromagnets on opposite sides of a soft-ironsignal-lever may be used, instead of alternately changing the polarityof opposite poles of one eleetro-magnet in order to operate a polarizedsignal-lever.

Instead of employing a bell or semaphoric signal apparatus, in themodification shown in Fig. 4, an induction-coil, without circuitbreakerattached, and a Geissler tube can be substituted, with the wire 7 beingconnected, as shown in Fig. 8, to one connecting-screw, T, of primarywire of said inductioncoil, and wire 8 to the other connecting-screw Tof the primary wire of said induction-coil, and wire 10 to Wire 7, sothat when a series of currents of battery B pass over the primary coilof said induction-coil a series of currents will be induced in thesecondary wire of the induction-coil, which, passing overconnecting-screw T of the secondary wire, wire 11, platinum connection aof vacuum or Geissler tube U, platinum connection 2%, wire 12, andconnecting-screw T of the secondary wire, causes a series of flashes oflight at short and regular intervals to be given in said tube, therebyindicatin g safety.

' The secondary circuit, described with reference to Fig. 4, consistingof battery 13, circuitc'loser K, wires 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, also thesignal apparatus H, could be dispensed with, and a safety-signalindicated to a signalman at a railway-station by the oscillation oflever l ofmagnet M between points 19 19 or two small bells or gongs; orsaid lever 1 could operate any'other audible or visual signal or both,and instead of the said magnet and lever a galvanometer or any othersensitive electrical apparatus may be substituted, and the needle ormovable part or parts thereof be employed to indicate a safety-signalwhen actuated by the alternately opposite or reverse currents, ashereinbefore described.

Instead of the employment and arrangement of springs E E E long orcontinuous strips 0 0 (J and three sets of short strips, 0 c 0 upon theperiphery of wheel D of commutator G, as shown in Fig. 1, two sets ofshort alternate strips, 0 0 upon the periphery of said wheel 1) can beemployed, as shown in Fi 9. The short strips 0 are connected together bywires orconductors 21, and insulated or separated from strips 0 whichare also connected together by wires or conductors 22. The strips 0. andconductors 21 are connected to metallic shaft 61 by a wire or conductor,33, and strips 0 and conductors 22 are connected to metallic shaft (1 bywire or conductor 44. The wooden wheel D is fastened to and insulatesfrom each other the metallic shafts d al which rest and revolve uponbearings formed in metallic standards 1; 12 When wheel D and shafts d drotate, opposite or reverse currents of battery B will be transmittedover wire 1, standard 2;, shaft 61 wire or conductor 33, strips 0,conductors 21, springs F F, strips 0 conductors 22, wire or conductor44., shaft 61 standard o, wire 2, and the conductors connected withsprings F F, hereinbefore described.

Instead of employing commutator 0, wires 1 2 3 or 1 2, and battery B,Figs. 1 and 9, for generating and transmitting a series of alternateoiiposite or reverse currents, as hereinbefore described, amagneto-electric inductor may be substituted, consisting of permanentmagnets, between the poles of whicha coil of insulated wire on arotating armature of soft iron develops, on being turned 011 its axis,opposite or reverse currents of electricity; and the said coil andarmature may be rotated either by a signalman or automatically, by thedevices, shown in Fig. 5, for

automatically operating commutator 0.

Instead of employing a i'nagneto-electro inductor in which the coil ofinsulated wire and armature rotates, an inductor can be substituted, inwhich the coil of wire and armature, when oscillated between the polesof a permanent magnet or magnets by a signalman, or by a locomotive ortrain; develops opposite or reverse currents of electricity.

In Fig. 10 is represented a magneto-electric inductor, 15. S and N aretwo rows of permanent bar-magnets, the upper ones with their north endsand the lower ones with their south ends in contact with a plate, P, ofsoft iron, which acts as a neutral block for all the permanent magnets.D is the softiron armature, in which deep longitudinal grooves, onopposite sides, are cut, and in these grooves the coil (1 of insulatedwire is wound. on its fulcrum F on standards K-,a11d which is attachedby screws to armature D lVhen the lever If is depressed at end Z by thewheel of a locomotive or car the armature D and coil G of insulated wireis elevated and brought near magnets S, thereby causing amagnetoelectric current to be induced in the coil 0 and to flow overwire 4, rails R, wire 5, magnet m, wire q, and magnet on of relaymagnetM wire 6, rails R and wire 7, in one direction, and after the said wheelhaspassed over said end of the lever the endl of said lever willdescend, owingto the weight of the armature and coil, which will then bebrought near to magnets N, thereby causing another L is an iron lever,which vibratesmagneto-electric current to be induced in the coilopposite to the first current and flowing over wire 7 rails R wire 6,the coils of the magnet M wire '5, rails R, and wire 4. In this manner aseries of opposite or reverse currents can be generated and transmitted.over the primary circuit and over a secondary circuit connected withrelay M as hereinbefore described, and a series of signals given, or asingle signal given, which depends upon a series of opposite or reversecurrents of electricity. The end Z of the lever L can also be arrangedto be depressed by a rail or springbar when occupied by the wheels of alocomotive or car.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 10 can be modified and employed to give aseries of signals, audible or visual, or both combined, at a street orroad crossing to indicate that a train is approaching said crossing,both on a double and single track railroad, by placing an inductorsimilar to B on each side of said crossing, so as to be operated bytrains moving in opposite directions, at suitable distances from saidcrossing, and connecting said inductors by wires to one (if asingle-track railroad) or two (if a doubletrack railroad) short sectionsof track at the crossing, and arranging lever of M", which is connec edto the said short section or two sections at crossing, to operate anaudible or visual signal, or both, as hereinbefore described.

The semaphoric signal Y in Fig. 1 can be arranged so as to be revolvedby means of a weight or spring, and be controlled by lever J,escapementj, toothed wheel Z, or other devices, so that after said leverJ has made a certain number of vibrations betweei. poles i i of magnetsI I the said signal,which is held in check, will be released and allowedto make one movement or revolution, and thereby indicate safety.

Having now fully described the construction and operation of myinvention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. Thecombination of one or more insulated sections of railway-track, amain orprimary battery and commutator, circuit-changing relay-magnets, andlocal or secondary batteries an electric signaling apparatus, andintermediate conductors between the foregoing, arranged and operated forproducing a series of signals in said signaling apparatus, or a singlesignal by a series of reverse currents, substantially as described.

2. The combination of insulated section A of railway-track, battery B,commutator G, relay-magnet M, levers I l metallic points 1; p, 19battery B, wires 5, 6, 9, 10, 11,12, 8, and L, and electric signalingapparatus H, arranged and operating substantially as described.

3. The combination of two insulated sections of railway-track, A A mainor primary battery B, commutator O, relay-magnet M, levers Z l, metallicpoints 19 p 19 19 battery B wires 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12,13, 14., 8, and Lelectric signaling apparatus H, and relay-magnet M battery Bgroundplates G G, and intermediate conductors connecting the twosections A A all arranged and operating substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. The combination of signaldisk Y, shaft 0 toothed wheel Z,escapementj, lever J, and poles i z" of an electro-magnet, substantiallyas described.

5. Belay-magnet M, having leversl Z,which are insulated fromeach otherand vibrate respectively between metallic points 1910 19 10 incombination with battery B signaling apparatus H, and intermediateconductors of a local or secondary circuit, substantially as described.

6. Magnetoelectric inductor B", the armature D of which and wire coilare vibrated by lever L between magnets S N, in combination with therails of a railway-track,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. Geissler tube U, in combination With an induction-coil, in which theprimary current of battery B is opened and closed by lever l of relay Moscillating between metallic points 19 19 as described.

8. An insulated section of single'track railway, having arranged at eachend thereof a main or primary battery and commutator connected with apolarized relay-magnet at the end of section opposite the end where thebattery is, each of said relays controlling an electric signal at adistance from it, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention, 1 affixhereto my signaturein presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY W, SPANG.

Witnesses:

(3. T. SELLERS, E. R. ADAMS.

